Poll: Slaughter has 10 point lead over Brooks for 25th District race

The gap between Rep. Louise Slaughter and challenger Maggie Brooks has returned to a margin of 10 percentage points in the race to represent the 25th District in Congress, a Siena College Research Institute poll released Thursday shows.

Slaughter, D-Perinton, is supported by 52 percent of likely voters surveyed, up from 49 percent last month. Brooks, the Monroe county executive and Webster Republican, is favored by 42 percent, down from 44 percent.

Slaughter led 52-42 in September when Siena’s first 25th District poll was conducted.

Brooks has the support of 74 percent of Republicans surveyed, with 18 percent favoring Slaughter and 8 percent undecided or not voting, the poll found.

Slaughter is supported by 86 percent of district Democrats, with Brooks at 12 percent. Democrats outnumber Republicans in district by 9 percent, poll spokesman Steven Greenberg said in a statement.

“Slaughter benefits from a significant gender gap, with women strongly favoring her, 55-38 percent, while men are closely divided, siding with Slaughter by a 48-46 percent margin,” Greenberg said.

The new district includes all of Monroe County except the towns of Wheatland, Rush and Mendon on its south side, the town of Hamlin on the northwest side and a southwest portion of the town of Clarkson.

Slaughter’s current district includes portions of Monroe and extends along the Lake Ontario shore to Niagara and Erie counties.

Slaughter’s favorability rating is 57 percent, down from 59 percent in September, the poll shows. Her unfavorable rating is 40 percent, up from 36 percent.

Brooks’ favorability rating is 47 percent, down from 51 percent. Her unfavorable rating is 48 percent, up from 42 percent.

“With 97 percent of committed voters saying they are absolutely or fairly certain to stick with their current choice, and only 5 percent of voters undecided, Brooks clearly has a difficult job and little time in which to get it done,” Greenberg said.

Also, President Barack Obama maintains a healthy lead over Republican Mitt Romney in a survey of 25th District voters, with 53 percent in favor of the incumbent and 40 percent favoring Romney.

The poll was conducted Monday and Tuesday with telephone calls to 624 likely voters in the new district.